French politicians, activists slam bill to outlaw criticism of Israel
The proposal of a member of the French National Assembly, Caroline Yadan, to criminalise all criticism of Israel has drawn a strong backlash from activists, intellectuals and politicians in France.
They say the bill, which would ban expressions like “from the river to the sea”, constitutes a suppression of free speech.
“Caroline Yadan seeks to suppress the freedom of thought, criticism, and writing, to prevent condemnation of the genocide committed by Israel in Gaza,” poet Jean-Philippe Cazier wrote on his X account. “She wants us all to become partners in this genocide.”
European MP Rima Hassan also responded via her account, saying: “If there is one state that deserves criticism, it is Israel, the state that has violated all United Nations resolutions for decades and commits the most heinous international crimes.”
. @CarolineYADAN travaille depuis la France pour les intérêts israéliens, avez-vous quelqu’un déposer un projet de loi criminalisant toute critique de la Palestine ? Non, parce qu’aucune personne qui défend la Palestine considère qu’il faille empiéter sur les libertés des… https://t.co/M8eIrsvDEd
— Rima Hassan (@RimaHas) November 5, 2024
Pro-Palestine activists storm French Football Federation HQ in Paris
Pro-Palestine activists have stormed the headquarters of the French Football Federation in Paris, demanding the cancellation of the upcoming UEFA Nations League match between the French and Israeli teams.
Social media videos, verified by Al Jazeera’s fact-checking agency, Sanad, showed activists staging a protest in the lobby, where they waved Palestinian flags and held banners condemning Israel.
According to the French daily Le Figaro, the French Football Federation agreed to meet with the protesters to discuss their demands.
The match is scheduled for November 14.
Palestinian prisoners suffer worsening medical neglect in Israel: Report
The Palestinian Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs has reported a worsening policy of deliberate medical negligence towards injured and sick inmates in Israeli prisons since the Gaza war began last year, according to the Wafa news agency.
The commission’s lawyers who visited various Israeli prisons to assess the conditions of sick Palestinians there have reported that significant medical neglect, malnutrition, and physical violence had led to severe weight loss and overall deterioration in the health of the inmates, Wafa said.
